Would you like to help protect Florida’s state-threatened snowy plover in a creative way? SCCF is seeking artwork from children in grades K-6 to be displayed on new educational signs for protected plover nesting areas on Sanibel Island.

Snowy plovers (Charadrius nivosus) are tiny birds that lay their eggs and raise their chicks on the beach. Chicks are able to run around and eat on their own just hours after hatching. It takes about six weeks for chicks to learn how to fly, and they face a lot of challenges before they can take to the skies. Submitted artwork should help educate the public on ways we can help reduce threats to the chicks.

Watch the video below to learn more about how snowy plovers are affected by human activities and how beachgoers can change their behavior to help snowy plovers survive to flight-capable age. 

How to Enter:

1. Draw or paint an original work of a snowy plover and their eggs or chicks along with a message about protecting them. 
2. Submit your artwork before 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Sept. 12 by:
   – Scanning your art using a printer OR
   -Taking a picture of your art with a cellphone (try your best to fill the entire frame with your artwork, and take the photo with good lighting)
3. After scanning or snapping a photo, ensure it is high-quality (over 2 MB preferred) and email the file to shorebirds@sccf.org.

IF YOU ARE SELECTED AS A WINNER: You will be notified via email.

Contest Rules:

• The SCCF Snowy Plover Art Contest is open to children in kindergarten through 6th grade anywhere in the United States.
• Only one entry per child is permitted.
• The submission must be original artwork.
• No tracing or computer-generated artwork is allowed.

Prizes:

Three winners will be selected to have their artwork displayed on SCCF snowy plover nesting area signs. Each winner will receive their very own sign featuring their artwork, identical to the ones we display on the beach!

Want some inspiration? Click here to see several examples of signs created by students in other places where snowy plovers live. Learn more about snowy plovers from the Audubon Society. 

Questions? Email shorebirds@sccf.org.